--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't play just one-two-three-four. I…" description: "\"I don't play just one-two-three-four. I try to play melodies.\" — John Densmore" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cb/john-densmore-3925_four_i-don-t-play-just-one-two-three-four-i-t_2261453.png" --- # I don't play just one-two-three-four. I try to play… ![“I don't play just one-two-three-four. I try to play melodies.” quote by John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cb/john-densmore-3925_four_i-don-t-play-just-one-two-three-four-i-t_2261453.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cb/john-densmore-3925_four_i-don-t-play-just-one-two-three-four-i-t_2261453.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cb/john-densmore-3925_four_i-don-t-play-just-one-two-three-four-i-t_2261453.png) > “I don't play just one-two-three-four. I try to play melodies.” [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He prefers crafting melodic patterns over simple counting beats, emphasizing musicality over rote rhythm. **In simple terms:** He values melody over basic counting. Key Takeaway Focus on creating melodic lines. Themes music creativity drumming Mood inspired thoughtful Type musical inspirational When to use this quote - songwriting - live performance - band rehearsals Key Concepts melodic phrasing musical expression Questions to Reflect On - How does melody change the feel of a rhythm? - What techniques help develop melodic drumming? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Four](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/) [Just one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-one/) [Melodies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melodies/) [Melody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melody/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-just/) [Play Melodies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-melodies-3455289/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Try Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try-play/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) ## Related quotes > [Life's like the piano and the violin, it's about how smart you could play the melodies to make a good harmony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-aisy/life-s-like-the-piano-and-the-violin-it-s-about-how-smart-you-could/) [Lucy 'Aisy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-aisy/) > [I try to play the best I can every time I play. But there's just some folks that seem to draw a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-keys/i-try-to-play-the-best-i-can-every-time-i-play-but-there-s-just-some/) [Bobby Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-keys/) > [I'm starting to play all the melodies with kind of keyboard sound but playing it from the bass guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-starting-to-play-all-the-melodies-with-kind-of-keyboard-sound-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My whole trick is to keep the tune well out in front. If I play Tchaikovsky, I play his melodies and skip his spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liberace/my-whole-trick-is-to-keep-the-tune-well-out-in-front-if-i-play/) [Liberace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liberace/) > [Here is how I work: when I think that a film needs to have a principal theme, I search for a melody. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-legrand/here-is-how-i-work-when-i-think-that-a-film-needs-to-have-a-principal/) [Michel Legrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-legrand/) > [I find that the rhythm of going on long walks will suggest melodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/i-find-that-the-rhythm-of-going-on-long-walks-will-suggest-melodies/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [A song that sounds simple is just not that easy to write. One of the objectives of this record was to try and write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-crow/a-song-that-sounds-simple-is-just-not-that-easy-to-write-one-of-the/) [Sheryl Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-crow/) > [There are only so many notes so there must be only so many melodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-nelson/there-are-only-so-many-notes-so-there-must-be-only-so-many-melodies/) [Willie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-nelson/) > [The only criticism heard with any frequency of Elton John's first American album, 'Elton John,' was that the production was too grandiose. The melodies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-landau/the-only-criticism-heard-with-any-frequency-of-elton-john-s-first/) [Jon Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-landau/) > [There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard.There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/there-are-not-more-than-five-musical-notes-yet-the-combinations-of/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Singing in Spanish is much more honest, much closer to my roots. For me, Spanish is essential. I still think in Spanish, dream in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juanes/singing-in-spanish-is-much-more-honest-much-closer-to-my-roots-for-me/) [Juanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juanes/) > [At times I have a beat first and then I write. Sometimes I have a melody in my head and I pick up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nneka/at-times-i-have-a-beat-first-and-then-i-write-sometimes-i-have-a/) [Nneka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nneka/) > [There are no rules or certain methods. I usually start with the guitar or piano and sing melodies over the chords. The lyrics seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reeves/there-are-no-rules-or-certain-methods-i-usually-start-with-the-guitar/) [Jason Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reeves/) > [It was a matter of not seeing the woods for the trees. Glorious songs have been in Ireland forever, but a lot of these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-coulter/it-was-a-matter-of-not-seeing-the-woods-for-the-trees-glorious-songs/) [Phil Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-coulter/) > [I have a very strange melodic gift: melodies come to me effortlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-legrand/i-have-a-very-strange-melodic-gift-melodies-come-to-me-effortlessly/) [Michel Legrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-legrand/) ## More by John Densmore > [At the risk of sounding grandiose, I will say that, to me, rock 'n' roll is sacred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/at-the-risk-of-sounding-grandiose-i-will-say-that-to-me-rock-n-roll/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [We were not folk-rock. We would scare people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/we-were-not-folk-rock-we-would-scare-people/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [I've been very blessed to make a living in stuff I love and am totally passionate about, music and writing. So I'm eager to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/i-ve-been-very-blessed-to-make-a-living-in-stuff-i-love-and-am/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [The fossil fuel industry has made advocating alternative energy sources a liberal/conservative thing, and an ideological battle, when it should really be about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/the-fossil-fuel-industry-has-made-advocating-alternative-energy/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [When I was in my 20s I went through my testosterone phase and had a Mercedes to show that I'm rich, and they used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/when-i-was-in-my-20s-i-went-through-my-testosterone-phase-and-had-a/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [First of all, Turtle Island is the name of this continent we live on... that's right, not 'America... as in North America,' but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/first-of-all-turtle-island-is-the-name-of-this-continent-we-live-on/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [As long as there's young people, they can look to Jim to help them cut the umbilical chord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/as-long-as-there-s-young-people-they-can-look-to-jim-to-help-them-cut/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [In my old age, I've learned that if I put the right cymbal crash in the very right spot, exactly, it can be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/in-my-old-age-i-ve-learned-that-if-i-put-the-right-cymbal-crash-in/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [The Stones without Mick. The Police without Sting. The Doors without Jim. It doesn't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/the-stones-without-mick-the-police-without-sting-the-doors-without/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [Fortunately, an extremely sexy, pixie-voiced blond named Ronnie Harran, who booked the Whisky, saw us...She had an ear for talent...the Whisky was finally a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/fortunately-an-extremely-sexy-pixie-voiced-blond-named-ronnie-harran/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [Money is like fertiliser. 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